Car-fan.



Patented may' 29, |900.

W. A. STEINRUCK.

` CAR' FAN.

(Application filed May 22, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(N0 Model.)v

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No. 650,802. Patented May 29, |900.

w. A. STEmnucK.

CAR FAN.

(Applintion led May 22, 1899.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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y UNrTnn STATES PATENT Genion.

wILLiAM A. srninnuornoir PUEBLo, colonnine.

sPncIrIcATIoN forming part of Letters :Patent No. 650,902, dated May 29, 1900.

Application filed May 22, 1899. Serial No. 717,680. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, W'ILLAM A. STEINRUCK, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pueblo, in the county of Pueblo and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Fans; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in cooling and Ventilating fans specially adapted for use on railway-cars and other rapidlymoving vehicles.

My improved fan mechanism is automatic in operation, the impelling power being the air-current induced or created by the movement of the train. Brieiiy stated, the mechanism comprises a wheel located outside the car and adapted to be actuated by a current of air, a fan-wheel located inside the car, and a suitable connection between the exterior wind-wheel and the interior fan-wheel whereby the latter is'operated by the rotation of the former.

The invention embraces a construction whereby any desired number of fan-wheels may be operated from the same wind-wheel, also speed reducing means whereby the' fan-wheels may be rotated slower than the wind-wheel, and means for controlling the current within the car by the regulation or adjustment of the arms of the fan wheel or wheels.

The invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section taken through the top of a passenger-car equipped with my improvement. Fig. 2 is a top view of the fan-wheel, shown on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken through the same. Fig. et is a side elevation of the fan-wheel-operating mechanism, shown on a larger scale than in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken through the wind-wheel casing. Fig. 6 is a `section taken on the line X X, Fig. 5. Fig. is a perspective view of the locking-dog employed in connection with my improvement.

Similar reference characters indicating corresponding parts in the views, let the numeral Y l 5 designate a casing having funnel-shapedopen extremities. In this casing is j ournaled a Vertical shaft 6, upon which is made fast a horizontal wind-wheel 7, located within the casing and adapted to be operated by a current of air entering the casing in either direction or through either of the funnel-shaped `casing extremities. This wheel is substantially of the same construction as the Felton water-wheel and need not be described more in detail.

capes from the said pockets at the other eX- The wind or air-current enters the pockets of the wheel at one extremity and es- 1 as to direct the air-current into the pockets' of the wind-wheel'in the most advantageous manner. The shaft 6 projects both above and below the casing, its extremities being journaled in ball-bearings 8. Between the ball-cup of the lower bearing and the bottom of the casing is located a gear 9, fast on the shaft 6 and meshing with a larger gear 10, fast on a depending shaft l2, passing through a bracket 13, made fast to the top 14 of the car.

The shaft 12 passes through the top of the car and through a sleeve 15, which is formed integral with the bracket 13, projecting inside the car. The lower portion of this sleeve is enlarged to forma ball-cup 16, in which areV located a number of sets of balls arrangedone above another and separated by washers or iiat metal rings. The upper portion of the shaft 1'2 engages a similar ballbearing 17, located between the gear lO'and the top of the bracket 13. The gears 9 and 10 are inclosed by a housing cast integral with the bottom of the casing.

Below the ball-cup 16 ahub or enlargement 12a is formed on the shaft 12. In this hub are jou rnaled the inner extremities of a number of spindles 19. The Iouter portions of said shaft.

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to each spindle 19 at a suitable point between the spindle-bearings. These pinions mesh with a gear 23, loosely mounted on the shaft 12 between the plate 2O and the hub 12a of the shaft. To the extremities of the spindles, which project beyond the bearings 20, are attached the fan-blades 24. By means of this construction it' is evident that all the fanblades may be simultaneously adjusted to keep the same position. By turning any blade the pinion 22 is turned and the gear 23 actuated, imparting a corresponding movement to all the pinions 22, and consequently to all the fan-blades.

In order to operate a number of fans in the same car, the shaft l2 is provided with a bevel-pinion 25, which meshes with a similar pinion 2G, made fast to one extremity of a horizontal shaft 27, which may be provided with other pinions 2S, only one being shown. Each pinion 2S meshes with a pinion 2f), made fast to the top of a fan-operating shaft l2, surrounded by a sleeve l5, the construction below the pinion 29 being the same as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

lVhen the fans 2t are properly adjusted, they are locked in the desired position by means of a vertically-movable gravity-dog 30, mounted on a pin 3l, engaging a socket 32, formed in the plate20. The dog is adapted to engage the gear and is provided with teeth to interlock with the cogs of the gear. lVhen it is desired to adjust the fan-blades,

` the dog 30 is lifted from engagement with the cogs of the gear and turned to the dotted-line position in Fig. 3. It is evident that when the blades are in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 3 their rotation imparts little or no agitation to the atmosphere. By inclining these blades in one direction a downwardly-directed air-current will be induced as the fan-blades rotate, while when they are inclined in the opposite direction an upwardly-directed current'would result. The motion'of the fan-blades may be controlled orentirely stopped, if desired, by means of a cut-off valve 33, mounted on journals 34, engaging sockets formed in the casing on each side of one of its funnel-shaped mouths. If this valve is open wide, the air-current enters the casing-mouth uninterrupted. If the valve is closed, the air-current is entirely cutolf from action on the wind-wheel. By adjusting this valve to occupy positions between these two extremes the air-current, actin en the wheel 7, may be controlled at will. For

the purpose of controlling the valve 33 a gearwheel 35 is made fast to one of its journals outside the casing and connected with a worin 3G, formed on a shaft 37, jonrnalcd in the top of the car and projecting into the interior thereof, where it is accessible to trainmen.

From the foregoing description the operation of my improved car-fan will be readily understood. As the current of air resulting from. the movement of the train enters the casing-mouth pointed in the direction of the trains movement the wind-wheel is rotated and motion at a reduced speed imparted to the fan-wheels through the instrumentality of the gears 9 and 10, the shafts l2, the pinions 25 and 2G, the horizontal shaft 27, and the pinions 29.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combination with a suitable supporting structure, of a shaft jonrnalcd therein, spindles having their inner extremities jonrnalcd in said shaft, a plate made fast to the shaft, the outer portions of the spindles being jonrnalcd in said plate, a gear loose on the shaft, pinions fast to the spindles and en gaging said gear, a vertically-movable gravity-dog mounted on a pin engaging a socket formed in the plate, and provided with teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the gear and adapted to lock the latter to turn with the shaft, and fan-blades attached tothe outer extremities of said spindles.

2. The combination with a ear provided with an exterior easing mounted thereon, of a wind-wheel jonrnalcd in said casing, a shaft jonrnalcd in the car-frame and projecting both interiorly and exteriorly, a suitable operating connection between said shaft and the wind-wheel, spindles having their inner extremities jonrnalcd in said shaft, a plate made fast to the shaft, t-he outer portions of the spindles heilig jonrnalcd in said plate, a gear loose on the shaft, pinions fast to the spindles and engaging said gear, a verticallymovable gravity-dog mounted on a pin engaging a socket formed in the plate, and provided with teeth adapted to engage the teeth of the gear and adapted to lock the latter to turn witlL the shaft, and fan-blades attached to the outer extremities of said spindles.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. STElNRUCK.

Witnesses:

W. H. CocxELL, I?. M. KEITH.

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